Topsail Beach Commissioners vote down paid parking

Published: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 10:43 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, May 8, 2013 at 10:43 p.m.

Topsail Beach commissioners voted down a measure to implement paid parking in the town, instead opting to host a workshop to hear what property owners think of the idea.

Commissioners Julian Bone and Grier Fleischhauer were ready to pass a motion Wednesday night instructing the town's manager to work with Park Select, a Raleigh-based pay-to-park business, to come up with a plan to charge visitors to park in the nearly 200 public spaces available in town.

Representatives with the company, which got its start in Wilmington in 2000 and operates there as well in Raleigh and Carolina Beach, presented charge-to-park options for the town during the board's monthly meeting on Wednesday.

Among the recommendations – establish a permit system for property owners, who would pay a $5 fee for up to two parking passes to use public spaces. Homeowners would be allowed to purchase two visitor permits for $50 each.

Neither option resonated well with commissioners, who pointed out that paid parking would be a way to generate revenue from “day trippers” who visit the beach for a day and do not contribute to the town's economy.

Park Select would pay for signs, pay stations and personnel to enforce parking. The company would split half of the money collected in parking fees with the town.

Topsail Beach would stand to earn upwards of $43,000 annually, a figure Fleisch­hauer said was conservative because that estimate does not include parking fines.

“This is almost a penny on our tax base,” he said. “To me, I think it's a good plan.”

Commissioners Larry Combs and Linda Stipe went on record to say they're not opposed to paid parking. They agreed, though, that the town may not be ready to implement a pay-to-park program this year.

Another commissioner was ready to express his lack of support for the idea.

“I am totally opposed to paid parking in this town right now,” Commissioner Ed Broadhurst said. “We're not Wrightsville Beach. We're not Raleigh. We're little Topsail Beach. I can't see it all over town.”

<p>Topsail Beach commissioners voted down a measure to implement paid parking in the town, instead opting to host a workshop to hear what property owners think of the idea.</p><p>Commissioners Julian Bone and Grier Fleischhauer were ready to pass a motion Wednesday night instructing the town's manager to work with Park Select, a Raleigh-based pay-to-park business, to come up with a plan to charge visitors to park in the nearly 200 public spaces available in town.</p><p>Representatives with the company, which got its start in Wilmington in 2000 and operates there as well in Raleigh and Carolina Beach, presented charge-to-park options for the town during the board's monthly meeting on Wednesday.</p><p>Among the recommendations – establish a permit system for property owners, who would pay a $5 fee for up to two parking passes to use public spaces. Homeowners would be allowed to purchase two visitor permits for $50 each.</p><p>Neither option resonated well with commissioners, who pointed out that paid parking would be a way to generate revenue from “day trippers” who visit the beach for a day and do not contribute to the town's economy.</p><p>Park Select would pay for signs, pay stations and personnel to enforce parking. The company would split half of the money collected in parking fees with the town.</p><p>Topsail Beach would stand to earn upwards of $43,000 annually, a figure Fleisch­hauer said was conservative because that estimate does not include parking fines.</p><p>“This is almost a penny on our tax base,” he said. “To me, I think it's a good plan.”</p><p>Commissioners Larry Combs and Linda Stipe went on record to say they're not opposed to paid parking. They agreed, though, that the town may not be ready to implement a pay-to-park program this year.</p><p>Another commissioner was ready to express his lack of support for the idea.</p><p>“I am totally opposed to paid parking in this town right now,” Commissioner Ed Broadhurst said. “We're not Wrightsville Beach. We're not Raleigh. We're little Topsail Beach. I can't see it all over town.”</p>